[1]KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP)–Citing the paradox of a nation so richly blessed by God, yet living as if God doesn’t exist, Billy Kim, a Korean Baptists and president of the Far East Broadcasting Company, issued a plea for American churches to recommit their energies to prayer that God will bring the nation’s “wandering sons and daughters back to the fold of God.”
Speaking at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary April 9, Kim explained that the reason for the reawakening of Korea’s churches is because most are in prayer at 5 a.m., praying that God will spare their tiny peninsula.
Kim acknowledged the role of American missionaries in the development of the church in Korea 100 years ago. He said America must take the lead again in reaching all the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“I believe there is still time left for this great country. No other nation has so much manpower and resources to reach the world,” Kim said. “We Koreans want to partner with you. America is great because of its compassion.”
To lead, however, America must return to God and its churches must pray that God will spare judgment on the land, Kim said.
“In Daniel 1 we find that Daniel had a purposed heart. He purposed in his heart that he would not touch the food of that great king. We need Christian people today who will stand up for their convictions. Too many churches have lowered their standards and are more like a social clubs,” Kim said.
Kim spoke of the history of the persecuted church in Korea and the boldness of Christians in the face of Japanese oppression. He gave an example of how the gospel brought forgiveness and reconciliation years later between a Japanese delegation and a Korean village. “That is the power of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus said we must go to all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Listing the numerous times Jesus told the disciples to take the gospel to the world, Kim compared Jesus’ command to the church to the vision of Coca-Cola.
“This secular company has a vision, a strategy, a motto, for everyone in the world to taste its soft drink by the year 2000. We have the living water of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet we have no vision, no strategy, no motto that by the year 2000 all the world shall taste of the living water that brings eternal life.”